Race, Stigma, and the Politics of Black Girls Hair

Historically, black girls and women has been subjected to high public scrutiny that represents their bodies and hair styles as deviant from a European standard of beauty and respectability. Black women have endured many social pressures that have shaped their hair choices in various ways. I will explore assimilation theories of culture and the construction of dominant ideals of worth and respectability within K-12 settings, to document the ways in which black girls\u27 hairstyles have been stigmatized. For this this study, I conducted a media and discourse analysis to document the language that is used to stigmatize black women\u27s hair, focusing on K-12 school settings in the United States. As of 2016, several schools have attempted to ban natural and other African American hairstyles in the states of Kentucky and North Carolina. I used Lexis-Nexis, Google News and Ethnic News Watch databases to search and compile the occurrences of school regulation of Black hairstyles over the last 10 years in the United States. Despite the cultural, social and political advancements of African Americans in 21st century, discrimination against African American boys and girls in K-12 settings is a key site of inequality. Furthermore, this time frame will give us insight on the ways that K-12 educational settings continue to be a main site of transmission of dominant social standards and the reproduction of social inequality. Additionally, I will explore the ways in which African American feminists have created a space of self-celebration and self-love to resist the negative representations of black femininity. This intersectional approach will help in understanding how a longer history of the stigmatization of Black women\u27s hair continues in the contemporary moment. At the same time, looking for the ways that Black women have resisted and continue to shape positive images for themselves is an important aspect of this research. This study will contribute to the national debate on K-12 school\u27s power in regulating black students\u27 hair choices and styles to illuminate a longer history of stigma and an even longer history of resistance

The Politics of Black Womens\u27 Hair

Historically, black women’s image has been subjected to high scrutinization that rendered every choice they made for their body and hair important. Black women have undergone many pressures that shaped their hair choices in various ways. However, there is a general tendency in the literature to homogenize all black women’s experiences and disregard their ethnic diversity. In this study, we explored both African and African American college women’s feelings about the motivations to straighten (relax) or wear their hair without chemical treatment (natural). For this qualitative approach, we utilized a cross-cultural approach and interviewed 12 African and African American college women with relaxed (chemically treated) or natural (chemically untreated) hair to understand the motivations for their various hair choices. Findings reveal that African and African American women with relaxed hair are influenced by different factors; African women with relaxed hair reported being influenced by community and media while African American women reported family as the most influential factor regarding their hair decisions. Both African and African American women with natural hair viewed their hair as a personal choice rather than a political statement. In general, African American women reported more exposure to natural hair than African women who, for the most part, went natural when they came to the United States. Although, black women seem to have similar experiences about their hair cross-culturally, there are relevant particularities in each group’s experiences that are worth taking into account for a more precise knowledge of these groups

Recordkeeping in council-controlled organisations: An investigation into local body involvement and the implementation of formal recordkeeping programmes

In New Zealand council--‐controlled organisations (CCOs) play an important role in the conduct of local government’s affairs, and in recognition of this they are subject to the Public Records Act 2005. The purpose of the study is to investigate the extent to which local bodies are involved in CCO recordkeeping programmes, the motivations for and barriers to their involvement, and whether formal recordkeeping programmes are being implemented in CCOs. The study used an online questionnaire to collect data from CCOs and staff overseeing recordkeeping in local bodies. The results show that though some local bodies take part in CCO recordkeeping programmes, involvement is often occasional and not necessarily grounded in a formal agreement. In some cases perceptions about the status of CCOs apparently drive involvement, while a lack of guidance, decision--‐making and resources can inhibit participation. Small CCOs in the completed sample did not show strong signs of having implemented formal recordkeeping programmes, but due to the response rate this finding cannot be generalised to all CCOs. The study brings attention to previously undocumented issues with CCO recordkeeping, and presents the case that CCOs and local body recordkeepers are in need of appropriate advisory support. There is still much that is unknown about CCOs’ attitudes to toward their legal recordkeeping obligations, the barriers they face to implementing formal recordkeeping programmes, and the assistance they require

Directed Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis of alpha-Conotoxin MII

Conotoxins—short, disulfide-rich peptides found in the venom of cone snails—exhibit unprecedented receptor binding selectivity. α-Conotoxin MII (α-CTxMII) targets the α3β2-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) isoform; studying the interaction of this peptide with nAChRs provides an understanding of binding determinants that may benefit therapeutic development for diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Linear peptide was synthesized on solid support RINK resin by automated peptide synthesis followed by cleavage from resin and subsequent oxidative folding to form disulfide bridges. Mass spectral analysis validated proper synthesis and initial fold formation. QTOF-MS (m/z): [M + H]+ calculated for α-CTxMII, 1856.8; found, 928.9, 619.6 which correspond to the doubly and triply charged molecular ions. Next the peptide will be purified by chromatography and again verified using mass spectrometry. Finished product will be used to validate the applicability of PC-12 cells for expression of α3β2-nAChRs

A tractable mathematical model for tissue growth

Using formal asymptotic methods we derive a free boundary problem representing one of the simplest mathematical descriptions of the growth and death of a tumour or other biological tissue. The mathematical model takes the form of a closed interface evolving via forced mean curvature flow (together with a ‘kinetic under–cooling’ regularisation) where the forcing depends on the solution of a PDE that holds in the domain enclosed by the interface. We perform linear stability analysis and derive a diffuse–interface approximation of the model. Finite–element discretisations of two closely related models are presented, together with computational results comparing the approximate solutions

Smart Alarms: Multivariate Medical Alarm Integration for Post CABG Surgery Patients

In order to monitor patients in the Intensive Care Unit, healthcare practitioners set threshold alarms on each of many individual vital sign monitors. The current alarm algorithms elicit numerous false positive alarms producing an inefficient healthcare system, where nurses habitually ignore low level alarms due to their overabundance. In this paper, we describe an algorithm that considers multiple vital signs when monitoring a post coronary artery bypass graft (post-CABG) surgery patient. The algorithm employs a Fuzzy Expert System to mimic the decision processes of nurses. In addition, it includes a Clinical Decision Support tool that uses Bayesian theory to display the possible CABG-related complications the patient might be undergoing at any point in time, as well as the most relevant risk factors. As a result, this multivariate approach decreases clinical alarms by an average of 59% with a standard deviation of 17% (Sample of 32 patients, 1,451 hours of vital sign data). Interviews comparing our proposed system with the approach currently used in hospitals have also confirmed the potential efficiency gains from this approach

Adolescent-parent interactions and communication preferences regarding body weight and weight management: a qualitative study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study aimed to canvass the nature of adolescent-parent interactions about weight, particularly overweight, and to explore ideas of how to foster supportive discussions regarding weight, both in the home and with family doctors.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A market research company was contracted to recruit and conduct a series of separate focus groups with adolescents and unrelated parents of adolescents from low-middle socio-economic areas in Sydney and a regional centre, Australia. Group discussions were audio recorded, transcribed, and then a qualitative content analysis of the data was performed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Nine focus groups were conducted; two were held with girls (n = 13), three with boys (n = 18), and four with parents (20 mothers, 12 fathers). Adolescent and parent descriptions of weight-related interactions could be classified into three distinct approaches: indirect/cautious (i.e. focus on eating or physical activity behaviors without discussing weight specifically); direct/open (i.e. body weight was discussed); and never/rarely discussing the subject. Indirect approaches were described most frequently by both adolescents and parents and were generally preferred over direct approaches. Parents and adolescents were circumspect but generally supportive of the potential role for family doctors to monitor and discuss adolescent weight status.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These findings have implications for developing acceptable messages for adolescent and family overweight prevention and treatment interventions.</p